CARTHAGE ESCAPES | ‘Dawgs win top-five battle of Bulldogs in Kilgore with second-half comeback
KILGORE – K.J. Edwards scored twice in the second half as Carthage rallied to beat Kilgore, 21-10, on Friday night at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, a battle between two rivals who just happen to be ranked at the top of the state’s preseason polls.
Carthage, the defending 4A-Division II state champion, is ranked No. 1 in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football state poll, and Kilgore came into the game ranked third in the 4A-Division I) poll. Coach Scott Surratt’s Carthage squad had no points at all at the half, and needed a 21-point second half to secure a win in the season opener for both teams.
They needed it and got it.
“We knew they’re big, talented and physical,” Surratt said, “and our focus going into the game was lining up, playing well and getting better.
“I thought our defense played really good to hold them to only one touchdown. We got a lot of three-and-outs (on them) and that helped us.”
Carthage finished with 303 yards of total offense, getting 129 rushing yards from Edwards, bound for Texas A&M after his high school career, and 75 more from Benny Smith. Quarterback Jett Surratt, coming off a shoulder surgery, was limited, but went 14-of-19 for 99 yards and a touchdown.
“I think Jett was able to control the tempo of the game with his short passes. I believe he was 8-for-8 at one point in the second half,” said Surratt, his dad.
Kilgore quarterback Kayson Brooks was 13-of-20 for 149 passing yards.
Isaiah Watters led the Bulldogs’ rushing attack with 39 yards on nine carries. The Ragin’ Red rushed for 53 yards on 19 carries.
Kilgore drove 50 yards for its first touchdown of the season on its initial possession of the game. Watters did the honors on a 1-yard run.
The big gain of the five-play march was the first play from scrimmage, a short completion from Brooks to Rayshaun Williams that Williams broke for 28 yards, giving the Ragin’ Red a first down at the Carthage 22-yard-line.
Williams added a 5-yard run and then Watters ran for 14-, 2- and 1 (yard), scoring with 4:02 left in the first quarter.
Neither team scored in the second period, but Carthage ran 26 plays compared to Kilgore’s six.
Kilgore received the second half kickoff, but a turnover proved costly, setting the ‘Dawgs up for a three-play, 18-yard march, finished by with Edwards with 9:36 remaining in the third quarter to knot the score (7-all). Christian Monreal converted the point after.
“They ran the ball, but didn’t have much success,” said Carthage linebacker Daquives Beck, who like Edwards is a commit to Texas A&M. “We really did a good job I feel stopping their run. I thought we dominated on defense and gave our offense a chance.”
Kilgore’s third offensive possession of the second half stalled, but Jimenez booted a 32-yard field goal to give Kilgore a momentary 10-7 lead with 3:12 left in the third period.
Carthage answered though, this time with a nine-play, 56-yard march in which the Dawgs mixed their run and pass games effectively to progress down the field.
The Dawgs took their first lead of the contest on a 12-yard Surratt completion to Carson Crawford for the touchdown with 11:49 left in the ballgame. Monreal converted his second PAT, giving the visitors a 14-10 lead.
Kilgore answered, though, reaching the Carthage 24-yard line with a couple of Brooks completions to Lakeyleon Graves for 42 yards. But the drive stalled and Jimenez missed a 35-yard field goal just wide to the left.
Carthage then put together a five-play, 80-yard scoring march for an insurance touchdown, which came on an Edwards 64-yard run down the visitors’ sideline.
Besides leading the Carthage rushing attack, K.J. was the leading receiver with four catches for 30 yards. Crawford followed with three receptions for 20 yards and Jaden Jeffress also had three catches for 22 yards. Other Dawgs with receptions were J.D. Edwards (2-15) and Bryston Price (1-12).
Four different Kilgore receivers had three catches apiece. They were Williams (3-48), Graves (3-47), Tyler Johnigan (3-9) and Dre’ Sanders (3-33). Blade Chitwood (1-6) and Ja’Kalen Sheffield (1-6) rounded out the Bulldog receiving corps for the night.
Kilgore visits Whitehouse next Friday and Carthage has an open date on its schedule before hosting Liberty-Eylau on Sept. 12.
